Artificial denture



(No Model A. L. & B; P. GILMER.

ARTIFICIAL DENTURE'.

Patented June 15, 1897.

Nrrn

PATENT union.

ABRAHAM L. GILMER AND BENJAMIN F. GILMER, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

ARTIFICIAL DENTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,345, dated June 15, 1897.. A li ation fi1ed August 10, 1896. Serial No. 602,310. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ABRAHAM L. GILMER and BENJAMIN F. GILMER, citizens of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Artificial Denture, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to artificial dentures, and more particularly to an improved method of manufacturing such dentures and continuous gumwork.

To this end the main and primary object of the improvement contemplated by this invention is to dispense with the cost attendant upon the manufacture of continuous gum- ,work and to provide an artificial plate which will closely resemble the natural gum and practically defy detection. In the accom plishment of this result the invention is intended in the nature of an improvement upon our former patent, No. 553,523.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a set of artificial teeth constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2' is a transverse sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the metal backing forming the base or foundation of the denture. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of one of the artificial teeth. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the U-shaped retaining-pan for holding the articulation of the teeth during baking. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the retaining-pan, showing the articulated teeth invested therein previous to the porcelain body or plate being packed thereon. Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the complete denture ready for baking with the teeth invested in the retaining-pan.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates an artificial denture constructed in accordance with the present invention, said denture essentially comprising a fused porcelain body or plate 2, formed in one continuous solid piece, a platinum plate or backing 3 lining the porcelain body or plate 2 and forming the base or foundation of the denture, and the teeth 4, em-

ner hereinafter more particularly referred to, p

and the teeth 4 are each provided with a substantially V-shaped crotch 5, extending inwardly from the neck of the tooth, such construction of teeth enabling the latter to straddle and fit over the alveolar ridge, and, further, by providing the teeth with the crotches 5 an extended surface is obtained for the fusing of the teeth to the porcelain plate or body, whereby the teeth are prevented from being misplaced while undergoing the process of baking.

Having described the general construction of the artificial denture 1, the method or process of manufacturing the same will now be particularly referred to. The first step in the production of the denture is to take an impression of the mouth in the usual manner and construct a mold of plaster-of-paris there from, from which mold are formed dies, the

same consisting of a die and a counter-die of metal. The platinum plate or backing 3 is now formed by taking a thin sheet of platinum of a proper gage and first forcing the same over the die. A piece of rubber dam is placed across the counter-die, and the, thin platinum plate 3 is then shaped into the required form by being swaged between the complementary parts of the dies. After being swaged to the required configuration to correspond with theimpression of the mouth the platinum plate is removed from the counter-die, the rubber dam admitting of this removal. The platinum plate is then removed from the die and that portion which is to fit the palatine portion of the mouth and the alveolar ridge is poured full of fireproof investing material, which remains on the said plate 3 until the artificial denture is complete.

After forming and investing the metallic plate or backing 3 of the denture the teeth are ready for articulation in the usual way, the specific construction of the teeth and the objects of such construction being already referred to. The teeth being ready for articulation the platinum or metallic plate 3, invested in fireproof material, as described, is now inserted in the bite and placed on the 7 'baseof thedenture. The complete denture is now formed, and'the'teeth'thereof are 'rev articulator, and the artificial teeth i are articulated in Wax in the usual Way, so as to have the same articulation as in the completed denture. When the teeth are properly articulated, an impression of the teeth is taken in molding-sand, and from this impression are formed dies,"the"same consisting of a die and a counter-die of metal. When the die and counter-die of the configuration andarticulation of the teeth are made, a strip of platinum of a suitable gage is cut and bent into substantially horseshoe or U shape'to fit ,over the cusps and cutting edges of the articulated teeth. A piece of rubber dam is then placed across the counter-die and the platinumstrip is swaged between'the die and counter-dieto'produce a U --shapedretainingpan 6, the inner'su'rfaces of which are "proyidedwith'in'dentations and ridges 7to c'onfor'mto the grinding and cutting edges of the teeth and the articulationthereof, said pan 6 being"c'learly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

'When the platinum "strip is swaged' to cove'r "and conform to the grinding "and cutting edges-jot the teeth, thesa'n1e will extend about half-Way down the coronal portion of the teeth, andthe' teeththat are articulated inthe Wax of the articul-ator will fit accurately in'this.

retaining p'an soswa'ged. After the formation of the retaining-pan 6 the articulated teeth are made to register'there'in and a're in- Vested in fireproof investing material 8, as

"clearly illustrated in Fig; 7' offthe drawings. At this stage of the process the teeth remain on the 'articulator, but after the investment "sets apiece of Wax orm'olding coinpou'ndis 'Warmed and placed onthe inferior teeth, ex-

tending frointheunolars on the one side to "the inci-s'o'rs and molars onthe opposite side,

and the articu-latoris then closed. After the 'waxfis cooled the articulator is opened and the waxbas'e-plate thereof is removed, leaving the articulated teeth as they appear in Fig. 7 of'the drawings. The porcelainbo'dy Q'isnOW-packed in, on, and'around the artic- "ulated teeth where theW'aX base-plate of the 'artic'ulatorhad previously been, it being of course understood thatthe porcelain body 2 is made-to conform to the platinum or rnetal "plate 3', "backin g the same and V forming the tained securely in their articulated positions by the retaining-pan 6. The entire denture with the teeth invested in the retaining-pan are now placed in the furnace and the platinum plate, porcelain body or plate 2, and the teeth are fused together to finish the denture. Afte'rbakin'g a coat of coloring material'to represent gum-tissue is applied to the proper portionof the denture and the same is reswaginga platinum plate *or'ibaCkihgtobon- 'form' to the required place of use,- "investin' g said metalplate for backing, *inv'estin g an "articulated set of artificial teeth inti-retainingpanand removing thearticula'tor to 'lea'vefthe teeth in said "pan, "packing a 'p'crcelaimbody or plate onthe articulated teeth in the retaining-pan and conforming said *bodyor plate "Withs'aid platinu m plate or ba'cking'to complete i the denture, "fusing the body- "or plate and teeth together with the latterinyes'ted in 'the retainingman', and finally removing the retaining-pan and investment-from the-"teeth of the denture, substantially described.

2; *In the art of "making continuous gumwork, a retaining-pan, r01: holding" the articulation of the teethof'the denture While being baked, consisting-of a subs'tantial'ly U- shaped" bod y havin g its inner surfacest'v aged to conform to theconfiguration of-th'egrind 9 ingand cu'tting edges-of the teeth and alsoto the articulation thereof, substantially asset forth.

Intestimony that weclaim the foregoing as 'our'oWn We'hav'eheretoaffixedour signatures "in the presence of two Witnesses.

ABRAHAM LJGIEMER. BENJAMINF. GIDMER. Witnesses:

ERNEST M. Woon, MARTIN GEIsE. 

